Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is changing the face of education. In this timely and accessible book, Chris Abbott examines the process by which ICT, and in particular its role in relation to literacy, has become central to national educational policies. The author traces the history of computer use in schools and examines the concept of virtual learning communities using case studies involving learners, parents and educationalists. The role of the Internet is considered along with the differing national policies on its adoption and on developing online context. ICT: Changing Education reveals the development of open and flexible learning as the next stage of ICT's involvement with education.

The debate is no longer whether to use information and communication technologies (ICT) in education in Africa but how to do so, and how to ensure equitable access for teachers and learners, whether in urban or rural settings. This is a book about how Africans adopt and adapt ICT. It is also about how ICT shape African schools and classrooms. Why do we use ICT, or not? Do girls and boys use them in the same ways? How are teachers and students in primary and secondary schools in Africa using ICT in teaching and learning? How does the process transform relations among learners, educators and knowledge construction? This collection by 19 researchers from Africa, Europe, and North America, explores these questions from a pedagogical perspective and specific socio-cultural contexts. Many of the contributors draw on learning theory and survey data from 36 schools, 66000 students and 3000 teachers. The book is rich in empirical detail on the perceived importance and appropriation of ICT in the development of education in Africa. It critically examines the potential for creative use of ICT to question habits, change mindsets, and deepen practice. The contributions are in both English and French.

Este informe cita ejemplos de utilización de las TIC en diferentes regiones del mundo - África, la región árabe, Asia y América Latina - y proporciona un buen ejemplo de los cambios que las TIC aportan a los sistemas y políticas de educación. La gran diversidad que ofrecen los países seleccionados - Jordania, Namibia, Rwanda, Singapur y Uruguay - en términos de desarrollo económico y educativo, sugiere que lo que está en juego no se limitan a un determinado grupo de países privilegiados.

This volume provides examples of current developments on the role of ICT for education, development, and social justice within an international context. Chapters draw on advanced contemporary thinking from scholars and practitioners in the field to present case studies of how ICT can be used to promote sustainable development and social justice. Social justice is understood in a wide sense as the pursuit of democracy, justice and development in the struggle against any form of oppression; it is within this context that ICT is explored as a tool for social change. The objectives of this book are: - To analyze the philosophical, historical, political, and cultural backgrounds and contexts that are constitutive of contemporary challenges and tensions in the role of ICT for education, development, and social justice around the world; - To appreciate the contextual and international dimensions of the tensions and challenges faced by educators around the world and contribute to ongoing efforts to sketch a vision for addressing their needs; - To explore ways in which ICT in education can promote social justice and contribute toward sustaining communities around the world

A journal examining the impact of global IT from a publisher of quality research Information Technology for Development is a journal that specifically addresses global information technology issues and opportunities. It's dedicated to providing quality research, including social and technical research regarding information technology's effects on economic, social and human development. This journal's purpose includes serving as a forum for discussions about strategies, best practices, tools and techniques for assessing the impact of IT infrastructure, whether it's in government or the private sector. This is a single issue of the journal, Volume 13, Number 2, from 2007.

In this timely and accessible book, Chris Abbott examines the process by which ICT, and in particular its role in relation to literacy, has become central to national educational policies.